The Orwell Youth Prize is an annual programme for 12-18-year olds culminating in a writing prize. Rooted in Orwell’s values of integrity and fairness, the prize and the activities around it introduce young people to the power of language and provoke them to think critically and creatively about the world in which they are living.
With a focus on social justice, the themes of the Youth Prize ask young people to respond to big ideas, past themes have included: ‘Truth vs. Lies’, ‘Identity’ and ‘A Fair Society?’. We believe increasing young people’s confidence in writing, critical thinking, and interest in social justice helps to equip them for their next step, whether that be higher education, apprenticeships or work.
Naomi Thomas is a 17-year-old writer and committed member of Sheffield Young Writers. She won two Sheffield-based short story competitions in 2014 and 2016. In 2019 she was highly commended in the Forward Arts Foundation/EMC e-magazine Creative Critics Competition and Hive Young Writers competition. Hannah’s story Breakfast was published in Hive anthology Surfing the Twilight and she has work forthcoming in Sheffield Hallam University’s Matter journal. She is a new recruit of the Writing Squad.
Emma Layfield
Hachette Children’s Group
Typically, deep down worries got the better of me – is this for me? Will I be able to go? But I quelled them down and hushed their whispers – feel the fear and do it anyway right? Then, lo and behold, after submitting my application I received confirmation that I had a place! I was lucky enough to receive a partial bursary from Hive and Arvon in support of emerging writers who aren’t often able to financially afford incredible opportunities like this one.
Then, I landed at the top of a narrow, winding lane that led me down to a farmhouse neatly tucked away – Lumb Bank. Here I was warmly greeted by a group of lovely women who had travelled from various places, as far-flung as Australia, to embark on this journey together. We introduced ourselves, exchanged stories and anxious laughter and I was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable I felt.
As each day passed by, the bonds grew stronger, tears were shed, conversations flowed and discussions of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes strolling the hallways in the late 60’s made for hot debate. There was a quiet permissiveness about Lumb Bank. The many literary companions that lined the shelves, the intimacy of Calderdale’s hills and valleys surrounding the house. The persistent rain that conveniently kept us inside in our cosy rooms, all made it much easier to feel at ease. And, I was picking up many wonderful tools that involved song, mindfulness and improvisation. At the heart of it all was community.
Although I didn’t write much, the retreat gave me permission to think deeply about Nyara and how best I could move forward in my own practice. Most importantly it helped me to feel confident as a facilitator. The one-to-ones with our tutors certainly boosted my confidence in my own projects, and we spent the last day preparing five-minute scratch pieces which were a lovely communal way to end the retreat.
In May I got a call from Joyce asking me if I wanted to play the part of Claudia Jones as part of Wandsworth Arts Fringe Festival, and without hesitation, I agreed. We had the direction of the brilliant Moji Elufowoju – Artistic Director and founder of Utopia Theatre who helped us unearth the story. For first timers, this was no easy feat, but with less than two weeks to rehearse, and an unceasing determination to see it to the end, I was committed when it came showtime on Saturday 23rd of May. Rehearsals in the morning and afternoon, research, daily Zoom meetings, and an intense learning and rehearsing process (in light of Covid-19) taught us resilience in the face of the unknown, and adaptability to whatever came our way.
Danae Wellington is a Jamaican-British writer, poet and advocate for healing through the creative arts, specifically through the fusion of poetry, storytelling, music and theatre. She’s been published in several anthologies including Halfway Smile and Surfing the Twilight (Hive 2018/2019) and has performed at places like the Ted Hughes Poetry Festival and Sheaf Poetry Festival. She won first prize in the 20-25 category of Hive Poetry Competition 2019. In 2018 she set up Nyara School of Arts a project aimed at creatively supporting young people from African Diaspora backgrounds. For more info: 
Bagging the highly sought after prize offers Georgie and Lauren the wonderful prize of pamphlet publication with 
Lauren Hollingsworth Smith
Georgie Woodhead is a 17-year-old writer who attends Sheffield Young Writers and Hive’s Poetry Collective. In 2018 she was a winner of the Foyle Young Poet of the Year, one of two highly commended young poets in the Young Northern Writers Award, and 2nd place winner in the Ledbury Poetry Competition (young people’s category). In 2019 she was the winner of the BBC Young Writer of The Year and was Young Poet in Residence at Sheaf Poetry Festival. In 2020 she was a recipient of the Newcastle Young Writers Prize, and was highly commended in the Prole Laureate Poetry Competition. Georgie has been published in the Hive anthologies, Halfway Smile, Wild Poetry and Surfing the Twilight, and by places like the Poetry Society and the Poetry Village. She’s performed widely at open mics and live events including the Ted Hughes Poetry Festival 2018, and has been a guest on Ian McMillan’s The Verb on Radio 3. 
